Wheelwright-machine



(Modeh) G.ANDERSON. I WHEELWRIGHT MACHINE.

Patented July 19 1-881 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WHEELWRIGHT-MAC-HINE:

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,365, dated July 19, 1881.

Application filed March 8 1881. (ModeL) To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES ANDERSON, of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Machine for Inserting and Spacing the Spokes in the Fellies of Wheels, and 1 do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description and specification of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings,making part thereof.

My invention relates to the manufacture of boys-wagon wheels and toy-cart wheels composed of a hub, spokes, and felly.

Before my invention the spokes, after being secured in the hub, were entered within the smooth inner circle of the folly one at a time, and spaced by hand.

My invention consists in a machine having certain combinations of parts, specifically set forth in the claims at the end of this schedule, by which all the spokes are entered, spaced equally, and secured in their appropriate places in the folly at the same time, thereby saving time and obtaining greater uniformity.

In order that persons skilled in the art may understand, make, and use my invention, I

' will proceed to describe it, referring to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my machine, with portions broken away to show the parts beneath. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the same, the frame I and the parts connected thereto being removed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the frame I and the parts connected to it re-.

moved from the table E.

Table E,supported by the legs Z,is the bedplate of the machine. It is provided with ra dial slots D, in which are fastened the slides C by means of screws 3 y, which screw into the bottoms of the slides from the under side of the table E through the slots D. The slides C C can be adjusted radially from the center post, H, and fastened by these screws, to adapt the machine to operate upon different sizes of wheels. The center post, H, projects above the table E, and at its bottom rests upon the crossbrace L. It is shouldered down at N to provide a rest for the hub of the wheel, which is held centrally by spindle M while the spokes and felly are being operated upon. The radial slides C are slotted and provided with pivots W W, on which the forked levers B B vibrate. The upper ends of the latter are V- shaped to hold the spokes, and provided with shoulders it to support the folly of a wheel while beingoperated upon. The levers pass through slots D D, and are jointed beneath the table to the outer ends of connecting-rods F F. The other ends are held by a wire, Q, in the grooved circumference of plate G, so that they move with it up and down. The plate G on the center post, H, rests upon a coil-spring, O, which rests upon the collar S, fixed by a set-screw to the post II. It and its connecting parts are drawn down by means of the foot-lever T, which is attached to it by suspension-rods V V, hooking into eyes B R in the plate G and into holes in the lever T, pivoted at one end to an ear, 1:, under the crossbrace L. When plate Gr isdrawn down it compresses the spring 0 upon the collar S. At the same time the lower ends of the levers B B are drawn inward and their upper ends are thrown outward, so that the folly of the wheel resting upon the shoulders i t is expanded. When the operator wishes to restore the parts to their former position, as shown in the drawings,he removes his foot from the lever T, and the spring 0 forces up plate G, which draws the upper ends of levers B B in, so that he may remove the wheel just operated upon and place another one in position. Cross-brace L is fastened to side connections, which join together and brace the legs of the machine near their lower ends.

Above the table E is across-bar, I, supported on upright posts K K. This cross-bar sup ports the mechanism which raises, lowers, supports, and sets free the drop-plate A. A pulley, f, secured to shaft d, which is held in bearings e e on brackets ,c c, has attached 'to it one end of a wire rope, 9, while the other end is fastened to about the center of drop-plate A, so that when the pulley f is turned the plate A will be raised or lowered.

On the outer end of shaft d is fixed a crankdisk plate, h, provided with a notch in its circumference, into which a pawl, m,'secured to bracket 0, catches to hold the plate A in its highest position When the pawl m is thrown V and the tongues a of the drop-plate into correct positions for fastening to the folly.

The operation of my machine is as follows: The plate A being at its highest position and held by the pawl m, the felly of a wheel, with a smooth inner surface, is placed upon the shoulders i of the expanding-levers B B. The hub, provided with spokes without tenons on their ends, is then placed on the center spindle, M, resting on the shoulder N, so that the spokes lie within the V-jaws of the expanding-levers B B and project over and beyond the smooth inner circle of the folly. The parts of the machine being in the positions indicated in the drawings, the operator forces down the lever T with his foot, which causes the upper ends of the levers B B to expand the felly placed on them outward. The operator then releases the pawl m and the plate A drops upon the ends of the spokes, which forces them into the inclosnre of the telly in their proper places. The felly is then pinned to the ends of the spokes, which completes the operation. The V-shaped jaws of the levers B B direct and space the spokes to their correct positions in the felly when the plate A descends upon them.

The slides G C may be moved nearer the center spindle, M, for toy-cart wheels or farther away for boys-wagon wheels. One position for wheels like those for baby toy carriages is indicated at B B, the plate A being provided with holes to receive the ends of the levers.

Having now fully described my invention and the manner in which I have embodied it, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the table, with the shouldered and forked holding-guides, pivoted and connected to expand and to hold the felly, and to hold, guide, and space the spokes of a wheel, all constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the table, the telly-expanding and spoke-spacing levers, and the levers under the table, with the treadle for actuating the same, all constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the table, the telly-expanding levers, the levers under the table, with the treadle for actuating the same, and the dropplate for forcing the spokes of a wheel into their places in the felly, all constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes specified.

CHARLES ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

F. CAFFERTY, MATT Games. 

